This is the moment an imam tries to suppress a laugh after his Quran recital was interrupted by a moved devotee apparently bellowing “Allah” mid-song.

The incident was filmed at the Valide-I Cedid Camii Mosque in the municipality of Uskudar in the north-western Turkish city of Istanbul.

According to the news site Haberler, the imam was reciting from the Quran when a devotee startled him and as can be seen, briefly interrupted his passionate vocal performance before then bravely carrying on.

He was in mid-song when a ‘moved’ worshipper behind him suddenly bellowed “Allah”, forcing the imam to stop reciting first of all from shock, but then to suppress a nervous laugh.

Footage of the incident was shared on Facebook by the ‘Religious Service Platform’ on 4th January with the message: “One of the most difficult situations that can befall a religious official…

“The difficult moment of our teacher Dogan Temiz, one of the religious officials in Istanbul Uskudar.

In the video, the imam is seen singing into a microphone as an elderly worshipper rocks in time to the recital with his eyes closed.

Apparently moved by the imam’s message, the devotee suddenly opens his eyes and yells “Allah”, clearly surprising the singing official.

The imam ploughs on and finishes the line he was reciting before stopping to admit that he had been left shocked and then giving the camera a quick glance and suppressing a nervous laugh, moving his hand to his heart to gesture that he nearly suffered a coronary during the outburst.

The imam then takes a further moment to gather himself before admirably continuing with the recital.